MONTEREY &GT;&GT; A modern-day Will Rogers will help Monterey Peninsula College Theatre Co. rustle up some cash during its production of "Oklahoma!"

The play opens Thursday for a two-week limited run, truncated in part by college budget cuts that took effect July 1. It's a whole new world for the theater department, to rely more heavily on private funding — a world Chairman Gary Bolen says he and his staff are still navigating.

The theater has already surpassed its initial goal of $50,000 since the announcement of the cuts came down in January. But Bolen says the theater needs another $50,000 to finish out the season, which will also include performances of "Dracula" and "The Jungle Book."

On July 26, the theater will hold a pre-performance barbecue fundraiser featuring Will Roberts, a trick roper/gun spinner and former Cirque du Soliel performer who is an alum of the MPC Theatre. As it happens, Roberts played the role of Will Parker when MPC did "Oklahoma!" in the mid-1980s.

You may be tempted to call Will Roberts "Will Rogers" at some point, but he wouldn't mind. The 50-year-old has made a career out of emulating the beloved cowboy actor, humorist and vaudeville performer of the 1920s and '30s.

Roberts came to Monterey from Illinois when his father was stationed at Fort Ord. He acted at Monterey High School and MPC, and got set on his current path after performing in "The Will Rogers Follies" at the Western Stage in Salinas. He later hit the road with a one-man show mixing rope and gun tricks with political and social humor.

"Basically I kind of just went the cowboy route," he said. "... I wanted to model the Will Rogers philosophy, morals, ethics and so on."

He's on the road again — he spoke as he was on his way to perform in Colorado — but for two and a half years he stayed put in Las Vegas as one of two cowboys in Cirque du Soliel's "Viva Elvis." The show ran from 2010-12, and Roberts was doing two shows a night, five nights a week with performers in their 20s and 30s. "It's how I kept my girlish figure," he said.

His current act is all about returning to the simpler things, "trying to reconnect folks minus the phones," he said. "... I like to have a conversation, talk to folks about talking to each other."

Theater fits snuggly into that community-building philosophy, and he laments that the artform doesn't often get its due. One of the reasons he wanted to return to his old stomping grounds is to help promote an idea of "stages, not stadiums."

"When you talk about getting money or people behind art or sports, the NFLs are getting billions, the NBAs are getting billions for each player. ... I don't think you'll see five ballet dancers getting that," he said.

MPC is now in the same boat as other local theater companies fighting to stay afloat. In addition to joining other arts organizations "going after the same 10 people" for funding, Bolen said, the theater's staff and supporters have to learn how to sustain that model year after year.

"Private donors are asked to do what had been funded by the college," he said.

The theater lost 70 percent of its discretionary budget in the cuts — money for things like professional experts, royalties and repairs — and half of its staff. So even as the cast and crew get caught up in the excitement leading to opening day, the experience is clouded.

"One of the hardest things has been doing this and knowing we're saying goodbye to some good people," Bolen said. "We're losing these valued members, people who have helped the department for literally two decades, but we don't really have the time to stop and acknowledge them. ...

"It sort of personifies — literally personifies — the adage of 'The show must go on.' We're losing near and dear colleagues, but the show must go on."

So, about that show. Bolen promises no drop in quality or presentation from past MPC productions. The cast features many familiar faces from last year's "Les Miserables," notably Lori Schulman, who played Cosette.

As Laurey in "Oklahoma!" Schulman is paired again with her Marius of last year, Dale Thompson, playing Laurey's suitor Curly. Megan Root, who played the tragic Eponine in "Les Mis," goes comedic as Ado Annie, playing opposite Peter Hoffman as Will. Newcomer Morgan Vetter rounds out the main cast as Jud.

"Oklahoma!" was the first collaboration between composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II and includes familiar songs like "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" and "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top."

The July 26 fundraiser, the "Oklahoma! Roundup and BBQ," starts at 5:30 p.m. and includes a performance by Roberts, Dickey's barbecue, Scheid Vineyards wine, local beer, a silent auction and a ticket to the show. The cost is $125, which goes to the theater's Charitable Trust.